Pros & Cons to Broncos Extending OLB Jonathon Cooper

The Denver Broncos soon have a big decision to make on Jonathon Cooper.

August 19, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper (0) during halftime against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos have a few players whose contracts expire after the 2024 season. While the Broncos should be in a better position as far as the salary cap goes, they won't be able to keep everyone.

I've been examining the Broncos, who are in the final year of their contracts and might be considered for a new deal. While not everyone will get extended, they would be the top candidates for a multi-year deal.

For each player, I'm looking at the arguments for and against extending them, then considering what may matter the most to the Broncos when it comes to an extension.

We'll now look at rush linebacker Jonathon Cooper, a 2021 seventh-round pick.

The Case for an Extension

After two seasons in which Cooper showed he could be a solid contributor, he broke out in 2023. Cooper started all 17 games and had 22 pressures, 13 quarterback hits, and a team-high 8.5 sacks.

Even before Cooper claimed a starting job, he proved a capable player in his first two seasons. Take note of his rookie season, in which he logged 15 pressures despite playing just 45% of the defensive snaps.

While the Broncos do have to consider Baron Browning, what makes Cooper a better extension candidate is he has been inactive for just three games in three seasons. He's avoided serious injuries for the most part.

If Cooper turns in another strong season in 2024, the Broncos need to keep him. He may not be an elite player, but he's shown he can be a quality No. 2 pass rusher.

What happens next for the Broncos? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

The Case Against an Extension

While Cooper played well in 2023, it's not a given he can duplicate those numbers again. Was 2023 a breakout year or was he just a one-year wonder?

Though Cooper did have his best season as a pro, he didn't do that well in 2022, when he had just eight pressures while playing 47 percent of the snaps.

Cooper may be a player who is best suited for particular schemes. And while Vance Joseph was fine as defensive coordinator in 2023, there's no guarantee he'll remain in the role for the foreseeable future.

The Broncos may be better off extending Browning, who has been productive both under Joseph and former defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. If the Broncos go with Browning, they likely won't keep Cooper.

Bottom Line

A 2021 seventh-roound draft pick, Cooper has been a pleasant surprise for the Broncos. He thrived in 2023, showing he can be a key part of the pass rush moving forward.

But it boils down to this whether the Broncos prefer to keep Cooper or Browning. While the Broncos will likely extend one or the other, probably not both.

What Cooper has going for him over Browning is that he has seldom missed a game. That may make him the preferred option to extend.

With that said, it's not likely the Broncos will extend Cooper right away. They may want to see what he does in 2024 before making a decision.

Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!